Canon 5D Mark II vs 600D

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Canon EOS 600D (labelled Canon T3i in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2008 and February 2011. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (5D Mark II) and an APS-C (600D) sensor. The 5D Mark II has a resolution of 21 megapixels, whereas the 600D provides 17.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 5D Mark II		Canon 600D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
21 MP – Full Frame sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (50 - 25,600)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.9 shutter flaps per second		3.7 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
850 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
152 x 114 x 75 mm, 850 g		133 x 100 x 80 mm, 570 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Canon EOS 600D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 600D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 600D is notably smaller (23 percent) than the Canon 5D Mark II. Moreover, the 600D is markedly lighter (33 percent) than the 5D Mark II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 5D Mark II is splash and dust resistant, while the 600D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 5D Mark II) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (600D). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 5D Mark II gets 850 shots out of its LP-E6 battery, while the 600D can take 440 images on a single charge of its LP-E8 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
2.		Canon 600D	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
5.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
8.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
10.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
11.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
12.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799	ebay.com
14.		Canon 550D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
15.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
16.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
17.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	3,299	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 600D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 83 percent) than the 5D Mark II, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 5D Mark II features a full frame sensor and the Canon 600D an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the 600D is 62 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 21MP, the 5D Mark II offers a higher resolution than the 600D (17.9MP), but the 5D Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.41μm versus 4.31μm for the 600D) due to its larger sensor. However, the 600D is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 4 months) than the 5D Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 5D Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 5D Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 28.1 x 18.7 inches or 71.3 x 47.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.5 x 15 inches or 57.1 x 38 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.7 x 12.5 inches or 47.5 x 31.7 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 600D are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 50-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 600D are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the 5D Mark II provides substantially higher image quality than the 600D, with an overall score that is 14 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.6 bits higher color depth, 0.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
2.		Canon 600D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
5.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
6.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
7.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
8.		Canon 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
9.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
10.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
11.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
12.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
13.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
14.		Canon 550D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
15.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
16.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
17.		Canon 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 5D Mark II and the 600D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 5D Mark II offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the 600D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 5D Mark II has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 600D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
2.		Canon 600D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
11.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
12.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
14.		Canon 550D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
15.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Canon 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 5D Mark II, but is missing on the 600D is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The 5D Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the 600D uses SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EOS 600D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 600D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon 550D	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Canon 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D Mark II (unlike the 600D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 5D Mark II and the 600D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 5D Mark II was replaced by the Canon 5D Mark III, while the 600D was followed by the Canon 650D. Further information on the features and operation of the 5D Mark II and 600D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 5D Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 600D Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 600D? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 5D Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (21 vs 17.9MP) with a 8% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (14 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.6 bits more color depth).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.2 stops ISO advantage).
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.53x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (850 versus 440) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2008).

Advantages of the Canon EOS 600D:

• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (133x100mm vs 152x114mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 280g or 33 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (83 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the 5D Mark II launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 5D Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 8 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 600D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 5D Mark II or the 600D perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
2.		Canon 600D	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
5.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
8.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
10.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
11.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
12.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799	ebay.com
14.		Canon 550D	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
15.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
16.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
17.		Canon 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	3,299	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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